From the Newark & Grantham branches of Campaign for Real Ale newarkcamra.org.uk & granthamcamra.org.uk FOR DISCERNING BEER DRINKERS ISSUE 61 Oct-Dec 2015 The VualtsVaults - Cider Pub of the Year Wetherspoon Sir John Arderne AD BGP | Issue 61 newarkcamra.org.uk & granthamcamra.org.uk 2 BGP | Issue 61 newarkcamra.org.uk & granthamcamra.org.uk 3 NEWARK CAMRA CIDER PUB OF THE YEAR 2015 ewark CAMRA is delighted to announce its fi rst Cider Pub of the Year. Voting on nominated Npubs took place at the September Branch cider pub of the year they Meeting and the winner was the Vaults Cider and Ale have also been chosen House, North Gate, Newark. The award presentation for inclusion in The Good will take place during October, CAMRA’s cider and Beer Guide 2016 which is perry month. no mean feat in the time Ten months ago The Vaults opened for business they have been open. in the atmospheric cellars of 14 North Gate, which The pub has also had previously been used as a night club, wine bar been gaining a reputation for good food. Sunday and restaurant respectively. lunches, burgers and healthy eat for life meals are Since being opened by David Birch they have all produced from locally sourced ingredients. showcased around 200 different ciders, many As well as real cider, cider cocktails are also locally sourced but with others from around the available, for example Rhubarb and Custard which country. contains Rhubarb cider and a shot of vanilla liqueur. The management couple David Jex and Amanii There are regular live music events, a real fi re, Brittan met at Leeds University when David was Camra discount and a loyalty scheme so even more doing a degree in photographic journalism and reason to visit if any was needed. working part time on the outside bar business that Congratulations and here’s to the future. David Birch runs to this day. As well as being Newark Camra’s inaugural Bobby Dobbins BGP is published by the Newark-on- To reach a high proportion of discerning imbibers across East Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire, Trent & Grantham branches of the contact our advertising team at Capital Media on Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). 01636 302 302. The Newark & Grantham Branches of CAMRA strive An electronic version of this publication is available to increase consumer choice of real ale by objecting for download from the Newark CAMRA web site, to pub closures and championing high standards where you will also fi nd more information on local of customer service in the area’s public houses. real ale topics and unabridged versions of pieces We support our local breweries by promoting the that have appeared on these pages. Point your web diversity they bring to the bar. browser to: www.newarkcamra.org.uk Newark and Grantham CAMRA also bring national Opinions expressed within BGP are not necessarily issues such as tax and opening hours to local those of the editorial staff or CAMRA at a local or attention. Importantly, we are a social group of national level. likeminded drinkers of all ages and walks of life. Trading Standards Contact Details: Anyone is welcome to attend our meetings, details of which can be found elsewhere in this issue. For Newark, tel: 01623 452005, email: [email protected] BGP welcomes local-interest beer related articles For Grantham, tel: 01476 406080 and letters for publication. All material should be email: [email protected] sent to [email protected] or 18 Harewood Avenue, Newark-on-Trent, NG24 4BE. BGP | Issue 61 newarkcamra.org.uk & granthamcamra.org.uk 4 During the last weekend in August the PINT event was Newark Beer and Bite festival with around CHAIRMAN’S 6 pubs active. Our active branch had members attending REPORT Grantham, GBBF and Peterborough beer festivals. We also had workers for the week at GBBF and Peterborough. nce again, a lot has happened in our branch Our social committee has now expanded to since our last BGP was published in July. Here three persons to help with work load. We will have is a short summary. committee posts vacant at our AGM in November. O Perhaps you could help? I am sure we could do much Our Branch membership is now 700+ with active members coming back to Newark and branch better with sponsorship for our May beer festival. Do meetings held on first Thursday of each month well you have skills and local contacts in this area? If so, attended with 30+. can you help? Cider Pub of the Year was judged at our Our press coverage was very good over the September meeting and the winner was The Vaults past three months with an article including multiple in Newark. Many congratulations to Dave Birch, his photos every other week mentioning CAMRA real ale family and staff. The award will be made in October. and our area in positive terms. Our IPA trail was completed over ten days in July Andrew Birkhead and went very well but not as well attended as last Chairman Newark CAMRA year. The Facebook page had 100+ visits. Newark Rugby Club held a beer festival in June and with the advice of CAMRA the beer temperature was much better than last year. Transport was improved. June 15th was Beer Day Britain 1215. Many NEWARK DIARY : 2015 members met at locals but very few pubs opened at October 1st: Branch Meeting - 8pm the suggested time of 12.15. We suggest an evening Cross Keys, Upton (bus from event next year. Newark) We welcomed a new landlord at Oscars. David October 3rd: Vale of Belvoir Pub Walk Kirrage and his family are well known and he is very November 5th: Branch Meeting - 8pm keen on real ale. Roaring Meg, Newark (AGM) The Castle reopened with new landlady Angie December 3rd: Branch Meeting - 8pm who immediately started to improve the quality of Castle Barge, Newark real ale. A Drink for England event was held at Just Beer, December 12th: Xmas Dinner & Social, Vaults and Oscars with a beer from each county. Greek Steakhouse, Newark This was well received and sales were up for the For up-to-date details of all meetings and socials weekend. check our website: www.newarkcamra.org.uk/diary We have been active in trying to protect local or email: [email protected] pubs from closure. This is reported elsewhere in the magazine. At our July branch meeting we changed our GRANTHAM DIARY : 2015 method of judging POTY to avoid issues raised this October 7th: Branch Meeting - 8pm year. This new method is available for all to see on Tally-Ho, Aswarby our website. I hope you agree it will help with the November 4th: Branch Meeting - 8pm final decisions. White Swan, Barrowby In August at The Final Whistle, we presented December 2nd: Branch Meeting - 8pm cheques for £450 each to our charities REACH and Angel & Royal, Grantham Newark Crusader. January 13th: Branch Meeting & AGM - Pubs in Newark Together (PINT) are very active 2016 8pm. Railway Club, and The Civil War Real Ale Trail, endorsed by CAMRA, Grantham has been distributed to 149 outlets around the Check out our website for up-to-date details: nearest counties and at as many beer festivals as www.granthamcamra.org.uk/calendar-2 members go to. BGP | Issue 61 newarkcamra.org.uk & granthamcamra.org.uk 5 BEACHES & BEER holiday in Dorset has many attractions, allied to the fact that, for those of us of a certain age, the county will always resonate with Amemories of ‘Five go mad in Dorset’ – the hysterical spoof on the old Enid Blyton Famous Five books we read as kids. Strange comins’ and goins’ were a little in short supply, but the week included marvellous views, ‘dressed-in-the-shell’ here, whole crab meant just great walks, and a fi ne selection of hostelries and that, and a fun half hour ensued trying to crack local ale. The standout pubs were the ones right by the huge claws with inadequate nutcrackers. Brute the sea, and being in such a location must give the force became the only way, with fortunately no landlords and owners of such places a head start injuries caused by fl ying shells to report. when it comes to business during the tourist season. Its neighbour the Harbour Inn was sampled on We were based in Lyme Regis, a place we fell a different evening, and this place had the added for straight away, and exploring on the fi rst evening advantage of a seating area right next to the beach. we discovered the unusual sight of three pubs Great for taking in the views, people watching, practically in a line on the seafront – all food oriented and sampling Otter Bitter, Otter Ale, and St Austell as you would expect but also boasting fi ne ale. Tribute; although the latter is pretty ubiquitous these Our fi rst port of call was the Royal Standard, days, it nevertheless was my favourite in there. which like its next door neighbour The Harbour Inn, Entertainment was provided by watching people backed onto the sea front with the front entrance trying to eat fi sh and chips before the gulls could (which we never used) off a narrow road on the other steal it all; we experienced our own excitement in side. Walking in off the beach there is a sizeable this regard during the week, and they are not to be patio area, a separate hatch for food sales, and messed with. incongruously a pool table just inside the door which The only one of the three we didn’t try was the you have to carefully circumnavigate to get to the bar.